Höhereck Nature Reserve: A Biodiversity Hotspot

Höhereck Nature Reserve, situated east of Dürnstein in Lower Austria, has been under protection since 2008. As part of the Wachau region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Höhereck is a vital component of the Fauna-Flora-Habitat area and the Wachau-Jauerling bird protection area. This unique area features a diverse landscape of rocky grasslands, dry grasslands, shrubs, and woodlands. The reserve is home to a remarkable variety of species. Ornithologists have identified 27 breeding bird species, including endangered birds such as the hoopoe, woodlark, wryneck, middle spotted woodpecker and rock bunting. Reptiles such as the slow worm, sand lizard, green lizard, smooth snake and Aesculapian snake also find refuge here. The area is particularly noted for its butterfly diversity, with 91 of the 172 butterfly species found in Lower Austria residing here, including rarities like the clouded apollo, violet copper, white-spotted sable and black-spotted blue. Visitors can explore the area and appreciate the unique flora and fauna of this protected landscape. The geological foundation of Höhereck is Gföhl gneiss, with loess and loam covering parts of the eastern slope. The western slope is characterized by natural mixed oak forest and planted black pine.